Anglican Women

Anglican Church Women Association

The Anglican Church Women’s Association (ACWA) the newest organization of the Church was formally launched on January 7, 2008 at an impressive induction ceremony presided over by our Lord Bishop, the Rt. Rev’d C. Leopold Friday. Seven of the eight parishes of the Archdeaconry were represented, each accompanied by their parish priest or rector.

With a current membership of a little over 100, the Association seeks to mobilize Anglican women 25 years and over who are regular communicants. Its formal wear is its distinctive aqua blue uniform with scarves of differing colours to represent each parish. It has adopted as its anthem the mission hymn: Search Me, O God and boasts its own special prayer crafted by the Venerable Dr Sylvanus Regisford.

The main mission of the Association is “to provide women with the opportunity to discover and live the meaning of their baptism in Christ” It seeks to realize this by providing opportunities for women to serve in God’s church through WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, STUDY, SERVICE AND MISSION.

After an initial year in which structures were put in place, the Association, on its first anniversary elected its first Archdeaconry Executive Committee as follows:President: Janice GlasgowVice President: Jennifer Glasgow-BrowneSecretary: Joye BrowneTreasurer: Inga JacksonPublic Relations Officer: Maria BurkeCommittee Member: Patricia CaruthCommittee Member: Ethel KingCommittee Member: Laurie FrancisChaplain: The Rt. Rev’d C. Leopold Friday

The Executive Committee meets regularly each first Thursday of the month. It has established a vibrant programme of activities as it seeks to impact the women of our church and our state.

ACWA has been concerned with press reports of the molestation of young girls and the high incidence of teen-age pregnancy, much of which involves statutory rape.

To fulfill its mission, ACWA is inscribed on the register of Non-Government Organizations of the Ministry of National Mobilization, inter alia, and it is through this ministry that the Association participates in national activities such as the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th of each year.

The Archdeaconry of Grenada will hopefully induct their ACWA organization before the year ends. There is one active group in the Parish of St. Pauls & St. David with over twenty one members. In 2009 to present they have already completed several successful activities. The Archdeaconry co-ordinator is Mrs. Sheree-Ann Mark.

Discussions to form an organization in the Archdeaconry of St. Lucia are on going .

Mothers’ Union

The Mothers’ Union is a worldwide society within the Anglican Church whose purpose is to be specially concerned with all that strengthens and preserves Christian Family life.

The mothers’ Union was first introduced in the Diocese of the Windward Islands in June 1947 to the St. George’s Church in Grenada, by Miss Evelyn G. Mann, a Mothers’ Union Official Worker, who was sent from England by Mary Sumner House. Mary Sumner was the Founder of the Mothers’ Union Organization. The St. George’s Church branch was officially inducted on 26th February, 1948. It was in that same year that the branch in the St. George’s Cathedral was launched, and was then inducted on 25th March, 1949. the Archdeaconry of St. Lucia came on board years later.

The objectives of the Mothers’ Union were: 1. To uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage and to promote its wider understanding 2. To encourage parents to bring up their children in the faith and life of the Church 3. To maintain a world-wide fellowship of Christian united prayer, worship and service 4. To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children 5. To help those whose family life has been met with adversity

The Mothers’ Union organization which is celebrating over six decades in the Diocese of the Windward Islands has many achievements to be thankful for and they are far from being idle or inactive, according to report the Mothers’ Union in the Diocese are still visible, visiting Sick and shut-in, members of the church at their homes and distributing food basket or small monetary donation according to the needs of those persons visited. Sometimes the Mothers’ Union address schools and are on radio advising on Christian parenting and maintaining good family and community relations. Last year the Mothers’ Union in the Archdeaconry of St. Lucia held workshop on the “implication of sexual promiscuity and anger management resolution” which was well received.

SVG Mothers’ Union which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2009 held a variety of activities geared to promote social, spiritual and educational interaction among members as well as other parishioners.

Grenada Mothers’ Union who celebrated its 61st anniversary last year overcame many set backs but were rewarded by the members response and pleasure as the response in their participation at all planned program, which ended in an exciting beach picnic followed by a well attended Church service held in their observation of the Mothers’ Union 61st anniversary.

The Provincial Mothers’ Union held a one week Training of Trainers Workshop on Parenting in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on 16th May, 2011 which was attended by Mothers’ Union members and other organizations from the Diocese.

The Mothers’ Union invites everyone who has been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy spirit and willing to uphold the objectives and work towards eradicating the ills of society and continue the existence of the organization in the Diocese to become a member.